R&B/Pop took over the charts this week. Jive Records superstar Chris Brown’s F.A.M.E. entered at #1. The work features emcees such as Ludacris, Lil Wayne and Young Money’s Tyga. Brown beat out #2, Jennifer Hudson, by over 100,000 units sold.
Bobby V (f/k/a Bobby Valentino), a onetime member of Ludacris’ DTP Records, released his Fly On The Wall album. The EMI Records-backed project features G-Unit’s 50 Cent and Lloyd Banks, as well as another EMI Hip Hop label-mate in Twista.
Lupe Fiasco still held a Top 10 position. The Chicago, Illinois emcee may have had his share of disagreements with Atlantic Records over the content and direction of his third album, Lasers, however the work is fast approaching 300,000 units sold. Lupe’s album features label-mate Trey Songz and longtime 1st & 15th singer Sarah Green.
For the first week, Floetry alum Marsha Ambrosious‘ long-delayed solo debut slipped out of Top 10 rankings. The songstress is widely known in Hip Hop for her tenure as an artist at Dr. Dre’s Aftermath Entertainment, as well as her feature work with Game, Slum Village and Busta Rhymes. Meanwhile, staying comfortably at #17 for another week, Rihanna’s Loud pushes well past platinum.
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* Please note: figures below approximated to nearest thousandth.
Top 200 Album Sales (Top 5 Hip Hop/R&B)
| Rank | Artist | Album | This Week | Est. Total |
| 1 | Chris Brown | F.A.M.E. | 270,000 | 271,000 |
| 9 | Bobby V | Fly On The Wall | 38,000 | 38,000 |
| 10 | Lupe Fiasco | Lasers | 29,000 | 280,000 |
| 16 | Marsha Ambrosious | Late Nights & Early Mornings | 25,000 | 190,000 |
| 17 | Rihanna | Loud | 25,000 | 1,115,000 |
Gucci Mane‘s latest retail mixtape, The Return of Mr. Zone 6 scored a Top 20 debut. Selling 25,000 units, the Warner Brothers/Asylum Records-backed project features appearances by ’90s superstar Master P, as well as Wale, Waka Flocka Flame and Birdman.
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Kanye West’s acclaimed My Beautiful Twisted Dark Fantasy fell 15 spots to #50. A spot below was Lil Wayne with I Am Not A Human Being, which continues to march towards a platinum plaque.
Queens, New York emcee Pharaohe Monch‘s first album since 2007, W.A.R. (We Are Renegades) very nearly scored a Top 50 debut. This is Monch’s first album in conjunction with the legendary Duck Down Records imprint, and features production from longtime collaborator Diamond D, Exile and D12’s Mr. Porter. The independent release sold just under 10,000 first-week units.
Chef Raekwon fell to #83 with Shaolin Vs. Wu-Tang, a concept in development since 2007, sold 6,500 third week units, on its way to 50,000 overall. Released on his own IceH20 imprint, and distributed through EMI, the Wu-Tang Clan member’s fifth solo work features Jim Jones, Black Thought and a reunion with Nas. Producers include Evidence, Oh No and legendary House deejay Kenny Dope.
| Rank | Artist | Album | This Week | Est. Total | |
| 18 | Gucci Mane | Return of Mr. Zone 6 | 25,000 | 25,000 | |
| 50 | Kanye West |
| 10,000 | 1,095,000 | |
| 51 | Lil Wayne | I Am Not A Human Being | 9,800 | 827,000 | |
| 54 | Pharoahe Monch | W.A.R. (We Are Renegades) | 9,600 | 9,700 | |
| 83 | Raekwon | Shaolin Vs. Wu-Tang | 6,500 | 45,000 |
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Will Wiz Khalifa burn one down at the top of the charts? Can E-40 and Snoop Dogg say “west, west” will Top 10 impressions? Stay tuned to HipHopDX to find out.
